1. Scope of Invention
This invention relates generally to protective jackets for enclosing and holding flat objects, and more particularly to a protective jacket for holding and displaying lottery play slips and lottery tickets.
2. Prior Art
Millions of people purchase lottery tickets each week in the United States and throughout the world. In Florida and in other locations, a participant first makes one or more sets of number selections by marking the appropriate boxes contained on a lottery play slip. Filling in those tiny boxes for each correct number is tedious and time-consuming. That play slip is then turned over to a lottery ticket outlet, along with the appropriate lottery ticket charge, and used to automatically produce a lottery ticket with each of the sets of selected numbers printed thereon. Thereafter, both the lottery play slip and the lottery ticket are given to the participant.
In many circumstances, a participant may wish to play these same "lucky" numbers chosen on a particular lottery play slip on a weekly basis for a period of time. Because the play slips are fabricated of paper, they will rapidly deteriorate from one week to the next as they are carried by the participant and then presented to produce a lottery ticket having these same "lucky" numbers. If the play slip has become too worn or tattered, the participant must fill out a new play slip.
Additionally, a participant will typically select more than one set of play numbers and will then purchase and receive several lottery tickets, each representing a different lottery number set chosen. Safe storage of these lottery tickets is obviously an important function of this play process so that, should a participant be lucky enough to have selected the winning numbers, the lottery ticket is readily available for claiming the prize.
Presently, nothing known to applicant is available which will both protectively hold the lottery play slips for repeated weekly use, and/or hold one or more lottery tickets until winning numbers are selected. The present invention provides such a device which, in its preferred transparent embodiment, will both protectively house one or a plurality of lottery play slips for reuse, as well as protectively hold one or a plurality of lottery tickets, the device being easily carryable in a purse or pocket of each lottery participant.